Delayed Disclosure

Delayed disclosure means that a survivor tells someone about sexual abuse months, years, or decades after it occurred. Delay is common and can be influenced by age, fear, shame, trauma, grooming, threats, dependence, memory, family dynamics, or concern about being believed. A delayed report does not by itself show that the report is untrue. In a civil case, attorneys may seek records, witnesses, patterns, and institutional evidence that can corroborate what happened.